Expelled SAD leader Calcutta declares support for Congress
Chandigarh, January 17
Former Akali minister and former SGPC general secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta, who was earlier expelled from the SAD, today came out openly in support of the Congress. He was accompanied by a number of Akali leaders from Amritsar who joined the Congress. Calcutta said he was supporting Capt Amarinder Singh, but was not joining the Congress.

Capt warns dissidents
Chandigarh
: PCC president Capt Amarinder Singh has given an ultimatum to the party dissidents, telling them to relent or face expulsion from the party. He, however, says they will anyway be unable to dent the poll prospects of the Congress nominees. A meeting of the disciplinary committee of the Congress on Wednesday twill decide to expel the party rebels if they fail to retire in favour of the party candidates.

Police security cover to Guru, former DGP Gill withdrawn
Chandigarh, January 17
The state police has withdrawn the security cover to former DGP and SAD candidate from Moga PS Gill as well as SAD candidate from the Bhadaur (reserve) constituency DS Guru. Gill will now be guarded by CRPF personnel.
As many as 12 commandos attached with him have been recalled, a senior police functionary said. He called it a routine procedure.

A securityman with former DGP PS Guru (in brown turban) at Dhaleka village in Moga district on Tuesday.
A Tribune photograph

Free power to farmers to stay, Capt Amarinder assures voters
Kharar, January 17
A public rally addressed by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni here saw the crowd keen to listen to the former Chief Minister, but not the local candidate, Jagmohan Singh Kang.

State to send 800 ballot units to Uttarakhand
Chandigarh, January 17
With not more than 16 candidates filing nominations in any constituency, Punjab will not require more than one electronic voting machine
(EVM) in every polling booth and hence, has a surplus of machines.

Hussainiwala (Ferozepur), January 17
The elections in Punjab are not just a testing time for the politicians in the state, the Border Security Force
(BSF), guarding the 553-km border that Punjab shares with Pakistan on its west, too, is putting in extra efforts to curb smuggling of drugs, fake currency, arms and Pakistani SIM cards.

This doctor promises cure for all ills
Amritsar, January 17
Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, BJP candidate for the Amritsar East constituency, has slipped into her new role almost effortlessly. Having worked in the area alongside her husband MP Navjot
Sidhu, she strikes an instant rapport with the people where ever she goes.

5 vehicles carrying poll material seized
Mohali, January 17
A flying squad of the Election Department today impounded five vehicles, which were carrying several boxes of election campaign material of the Congress party here this evening. The vehicles were seized at two different points in Mohali and
Kharar.

The impounded vehicles at the Balongi Barrier in Kharar on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

PPCC president frontrunner for CM’s post: Soni
Chandigarh, January 17
The Congress central leadership has clearly indicated that Capt Amarinder Singh is the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post. Party spokesperson and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika
Soni, who is in the state for electioneering, has said that the PPCC chief was the likely choice for the coveted post.

Khurana launches campaign
Patiala, January 17
Raj Khurana, sitting BJP MLA from Rajpura, started his election campaign in the constituency today after paying obeisance at the Guru Teg Bahadur gurdwara at Tilkhani village, near Rajpura. Accompanied by party workers, he addressed public gatherings at Pall Heri, Faridpur, Shaamdu and Haryaon villages.

Rampant drug abuse key issue here
Earlier known as Narot Mehra, this assembly segment which has now been rechristened as Bhoa, is a reserved seat and is one of the most backward areas of the state. Industrialists shy away from this area due to its proximity with the Pakistani border. Here, unemployment is rampant following which youngsters are taking to drugs in a big way and neither the present MLA Bishamber Dass of the BJP nor his predecessors have done anything concrete to eradicate the menace.

Faridkot seeks clean potable water
Faridkot is a highly political sensitive constituency. The old Faridkot district, consisting of Moga, Muktsar and Faridkot, has given the state three chief ministers, besides former President late Gian Zail Singh, too, belonged to this district.

Sub-tehsil status main demand here
Qadian MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal is an erudite politician, a former film actor and a last but not the least, a rebel. He commands a massive influence in the area, a reason why the ruling SAD could not afford to annoy him. After the delimitation exercise, a massive chunk of villages falling under Qadian assembly segment have now been shifted to Batala and it is from this seat that Lodhinangal has been fielded as the SAD candidate while Education Minister SS Sekhwan has got Qadian where he will have to fight against Charanjit Kaur Bajwa of the Congress.

Plea against Cong’s Sadiq dismissed
Chandigarh, January 17
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the candidature of folk singer Mohammad Sadiq of the Congress from Bhadaur (reserved). Sadiq is pitted against former bureaucrat Darbara Singh Guru of the Shiromani Akali Dal from the constituency.Mohammad Sadiq

Patiala/Samana, January 17
Stakes are high for the erstwhile royal family of Patiala in the forthcoming assembly elections. A winning would, in a way, mean regaining control of the state reins for the next five years. For, the family head, former CM and PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh, is the Congress’ likely chief ministerial candidate.

But unlike earlier elections, the royalty’s energies are divided this time. Both the “Raja” (Amarinder) and the “Yuvraj” (Raninder Singh), are fighting the poll battle.

The elections have also brought along a greater responsibility for the family women, especially Patiala MP Preneet Kaur (Capt’s wife). As Amarinder is busy canvassing for other Congress candidates across the state and his son Raninder is contesting the assembly elections for the first time, it’s Preneet Kaur who has been managing poll affairs in both the constituencies.

While Amarinder is seeking re-election from Patiala (City) seat, Raninder is testing political waters from Samana. Apart from this, Preneet, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, also has on her shoulders the responsibility to canvass for Congress candidates in other seats that are part of her parliamentary constituency.

For Preneet, the day begins much before dawn. Her mornings and evenings pass by preparing poll strategies while goes campaigning door to door during the day. She also has a new “foe” to deal with this time round: Malvinder Singh, Amarinder’s younger brother who prior to the declaration of candidates was a trusted soldier of Perneet. He defected to the SAD after losing out to Raninder in the race for the ticket. Malvinder even announced support for the Yuvraj’s Akali opponent, thus, signifying the MP would have to work overtime to keep her flock together in Samana.

While Preneet is the most "busy member" of the royal family these days, other family members, including Amarinder's daughter Jai Inder Kaur and Raninder's wife Rishma, too, are doing their bit. The magic of the women camaraderie seems to be casting a spell on the voters, with the trio getting good response wherever they head to seek mandate. Most of the voters assure: “We again want to see Amarinder on the CM’s chair”.

Jai Inder Kaur, who is married to a Delhi-based industrialist, says campaigning for her father gives her “immense satisfaction”. She was instrumental in campaigning for her family during the last assembly elections and the 2009 General Election too. She is the one who remains in touch with the close aides of the Amarinder family to ensure electioneering is flawless.

Jai starts her day early in the morning and tries to cover maximum area in Capt Amarinder's constituency.

Speaking to the Tribune, Preneet says she has been representing the Patiala parliamentary constituency since 1999 and is well aware of the issues concerning the people. "I enjoy good rapport with the people. They have trusted me in the past and will do do this time as well,” she says. Asked how she manages such a hectic campaigning, she says: “Politics is all about struggle and commitment. One has to work tirelessly to win the voters’ trust and work even harder to serve them after getting elected.” Preneet says as Amarinder is busy canvassing outside Patiala, she has to take charge in his place.

Raninder's wife Rishma, too, is not new to election campaign. She had a shot at it during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, though her husband lost to Badal ‘bahu’ Harsimrat Kaur from Bathinda then. She is also contributing in her father-in-law’s constituency, moving door to door, greeting people with a smile and noting down their complaints, if anybody has one.

Raninder’s schedule is no different. His journey begins at 7 am. Getting off his SUV in a Samana village, the royal scion, nicknamed Tikku, values time in the run-up to polls, and hurriedly counts the achievements of the previous Congress regime. “Samana was ignored by the Akalis. But I promise, this will not happen during the Congress rule,” he tells a gathering at Kherhi Mallan.

Village after village that he visits, crowds of bearded men gather in large number to listen to him while women folk are more eager to have a glimpse of the royal scion.

Chandigarh, January 17
Former Akali minister and former SGPC general secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta, who was earlier expelled from the SAD, today came out openly in support of the Congress. He was accompanied by a number of Akali leaders from Amritsar who joined the Congress. Calcutta said he was supporting Capt Amarinder Singh, but was not joining the Congress.

Calcutta’s support to the Congress assumes much significance as he was one of the last of the late SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra’s loyalists to have parted ways with the SAD. In these elections, the SAD has sidelined everyone from the Tohra camp, denying them the party ticket. Tohra’s daughter Kuldip Kaur is the only one from the camp who has been allotted the ticket.

Calcutta declared his support for the Congress in the presence of PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh, party affairs incharge Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak, and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna and others.

Both Charak and Capt Amarinder welcomed Calcutta’s support for the party. They said: “This is an indication and endorsement of the general perception that the Congress alone can provide a good government and work in the interest of the state”.

Akali leader Pardeep Singh Walia joined the Congress with at least 25 activists from Amritsar on the occasion.

Chandigarh: PCC president Capt Amarinder Singh has given an ultimatum to the party dissidents, telling them to relent or face expulsion from the party. He, however, says they will anyway be unable to dent the poll prospects of the Congress nominees. A meeting of the disciplinary committee of the Congress on Wednesday twill decide to expel the party rebels if they fail to retire in favour of the party candidates.

“The real Congress leaders will stand by the party and withdraw,” Amarinder Singh said while talking to reporters at the Congress Bhawan here today. He said the party would expel the dissidents and bar them from joining the Congress for a period of five years. “After this, there will be another five years of cooling period which means that once expelled a person will not be able to contest elections or hold any office for 10 years. This, in real terms, mean farewell to the party forever,” he added.

Amarinder alleged that Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal was using the Vigilance Bureau to transport money to fund the elections. Many rebels had been given money through Vigilance officers,. The PCC president claimed that he had confirmed reports that the rebels were being paid huge sums by the Deputy CM ranging between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore for contesting against Congress candidates.

Capt Amarinder claimed that the Congress was certain to win at least 70 seats as people had been joining the party in big numbers.

Chandigarh, January 17
The state police has withdrawn the security cover to former DGP and SAD candidate from Moga PS Gill as well as SAD candidate from the Bhadaur (reserve) constituency DS Guru.

Gill will now be guarded by CRPF personnel.As many as 12 commandos attached with him have been recalled, a senior police functionary said. He called it a routine procedure.

Sources said the action was taken following a complaint by the Congress to the Election Commission. While Gill was not available from comment, his spokesperson said the 12 commandos attached with him had been sent back “on the complaint of a rival candidate.”

Gill was today issued another notice by Moga RO Chander Gaind for using the loudspeaker of a gurdwara to assemble people at Sosan village yesterday.

ORDERS ON MUSTAFA

The Chief Electoral Officer has directed the government to call back ADGP (Internal Vigilance) Mohammad Mustafa to Chandigarh and get him admitted to the PGI if he was not well.The CEO had earlier ordered that his 91-day earned leave be cancelled. Mustafa’s wife Razia Sultana is contesting elections from Malerkotla. The CEO had received a complaint that the officer was canvassing for his wife.

NOTICE TO GURU

A notice has been issued to SAD candidate Darbara Singh Guru for not taking permission to install loud-speakers at a rally held near Government Primary School, Dhilwan.

EC to video-record Sonia’s rally

Expenses on barricades erected for AICC chief Sonia Gandhi’s security are to be included in the expenditure of candidates that she will be canvassing for. The UPA chairperson is to address election meeting at Moga and Kapurthala on Thursday.

Kharar, January 17
A public rally addressed by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni here saw the crowd keen to listen to the former Chief Minister, but not the local candidate, Jagmohan Singh Kang.

Waiting since morning on a cloudy day, party supporters from Chamkaur Sahib, Kharar and Mohali assembly segments gathered at the first rally attended by the PPCC chief after withdrawal of nominations.

While the party candidate Jagmohan Singh Kang tried to put a show of strength, Rajbir Singh Padiala, a senior party leader, who holds a sizeable vote bank in the segment, while addressing the rally said, "Politics does not always mean getting a chairmanship or an MLA ticket. I am a worker of the party and always abide by the directives of the PPCC chief. One should work for the masses." Padiala was considered as the front-runner for the party ticket from Kharar, but was later denied. Though considered close to Capt Amarinder Singh, he announced not to contest against the party candidate, but rather work for the party.

Addressing the rally, the PPCC chief said the state would continue to provide subsidised atta-dal to the poor, free power to agricultural sector and provide further subsidies under the National Food Security Act, which has already been approved by the Union Cabinet and will soon become a law.

He said the SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was spreading rumours by saying that the Congress will stop free power and the atta-daal scheme.

Justifying the food subsidy, he said the state was not paying from its own pocket for the atta-dal scheme, as it was the Union Government's policy. He called upon the voters to compare the two regimes, the Akalis between 2007 and 2012 and the Congress between 2002 and 2007. "The main achievement of the Akalis is that they have added seven lakh more families to the already 13 lakh existing families living below the poverty line", he said while alleging that the SAD-BJP alliance was the most corrupt and incompetent government in the history of Punjab.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni asked people to judge themselves as what the Akalis and the Congress had done before voting. Among others who spoke on the occasion included local MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, Inderjeet Singh Randhawa, Balbir Sidhu and Charanjit Singh Channi.

State to send 800 ballot units to Uttarakhand
Kanchan Vasdev
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17
With not more than 16 candidates filing nominations in any constituency, Punjab will not require more than one electronic voting machine
(EVM) in every polling booth and hence, has a surplus of machines.

The state will lend 800 ballot units of EVMs to Uttarakhand where two constituencies in Dehradun and Haridwar have more than 16 candidates and require more than one ballot unit.

Punjab will require 20,000 EVMs for nearly 20,000 polling booths. It has a surplus of 800 EVMs.

Every ballot unit can accommodate names and symbols of 16 candidates only. If their number exceeds 16, another ballot unit is connected to accommodate names and symbols of more candidates.

In Punjab, only Jalalabad and Patiala Rural have 16 candidates where all buttons on a ballot unit would be put to use. The minimum number of candidates is five in Dera Baba Nanak,
Qadian, Batala, Garh Shankar, Dakha, Raikot and Zira. “As we would not require more than one ballot unit, we will send our 800 units to
Uttarakhand,” said Raj Kamal Chaudhary, Additional Chief Election Officer of Punjab.

Hussainiwala
(Ferozepur), January 17
The elections in Punjab are not just a testing time for the politicians in the state, the Border Security Force
(BSF), guarding the 553-km border that Punjab shares with Pakistan on its west, too, is putting in extra efforts to curb smuggling of drugs, fake currency, arms and Pakistani SIM cards.

Top BSF officials informed The Tribune that over the past one month, the number of attempts by people from across the border to smuggle in drugs and fake currency along the Ferozepur and Tarn Taran sectors had increased substantially. “Though we have managed to thwart these attempts and seizures of smuggled items have seen a rise, there have been two glaring attempts at sneaking in items in Ferozepur and three attempts in the Tarn Taran sector. As a result, we have increased our deployment substantially along the border,” said the official.

In the past one month, the BSF has seized four pistols, two revolvers, an Italian gun, Rs 13 lakh fake currency and over 6 kg of heroin. Officials said each consignment meant for their Indian counterparts here also had a few Pakistani SIM cards (of Pakistani telecom service providers Jazz, Mobilink, Telenor and Wahid).

“Though security regulations in India do not allow the telecom service providers to set up their towers near the border, many villages in these two sectors, located within 2 km of the border, receive signals from the Pakistani side. So the smugglers send in SIM cards with each consignment, which will help them stay in touch with their counterparts on the Indian side,” said the official.

The BSF has also arrested two persons in the last fortnight, who were trying to sneak in the Indian territory in the Tarn Taran sector. They are now being interrogated by the local police. The 553-km border that Punjab shares with Pakistan has fencing all along and a patrol route. To aid night vigilance, the entire border has floodlights, besides observation posts. BSF officials said in spite of this, they had seen glaring attempts from the other side to smuggle items by just throwing them from across the Pakistani side into the area between the fencing and the International border.

Amritsar, January 17
Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, BJP candidate for the Amritsar East constituency, has slipped into her new role almost effortlessly. Having worked in the area alongside her husband MP Navjot Sidhu, she strikes an instant rapport with the people where ever she goes.

Dr Navjot campaigns for nearly 12 hours everyday. Up at 7.30 am she is punctual at all public meetings. Before leaving, she has a quick word with her office staff which prepares the campaign schedule. On an average, she addresses seven meetings a day.

Moving door to door in Sharifpura, Dr Navjot gives a patient hearing to Rajwant Kaur who complains of sewerage water flowing onto the street outside her house. Another resident Surinder Kaur talks of poor civic amenities. Dr Navjot assures them of all help if elected. She sounds genuine and the voters seem convinced.

Delivering a speech at a public gathering, an eloquent Navjot points out that she has been assisting her husband in all development works in the city during the past two years. She says she is in the electoral arena to serve the people better.

Acknowledging that several projects, including laying of roads in Maqboolpura, have yet to be implemented, she promises to do all she can if voted.

To keep herself physically fit, she remains on a milk and fruit diet throughout the day. She makes it a point to eat dinner high on proteins. A sound six-hour sleep and she is fresh for yet another gruelling day.

Mohali, January 17
A flying squad of the Election Department today impounded five vehicles, which were carrying several boxes of election campaign material of the Congress party here this evening. The vehicles were seized at two different points in Mohali and Kharar.

On being intercepted by a team headed by Executive Engineer Devinder Singh, the persons accompanying the vehicles failed to furnish any documents that could account for the campaign material.

The material was destined for Jalandhar and Ludhiana. While four vehicles, supporting the banners of 'Jeeta and Jaggi', were intercepted near Balongi Sales Tax barrier, Kharar, another truck carrying 20 boxes of election canvassing material was seized at Franco Light Point, Phase 1 here.

Returning Officer Amit Talwar said the all the vehicles had been impounded under various sections of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951. The police has been asked to probe the source of the election material.

Meanwhile, the Returning Officer has issued a notice to the Congress candidate from Mohali, Balbir Singh Sidhu, for using his official vehicle in canvassing and holding a public meeting at Aganwadi Centre in Chau Majra village here. The sitting MLA has been asked to explain his position on the issue after the violation was pointed out to the RO by the SAD candidate, Balwant Singh Ramoowalia.

Officials said that the election authorities were keeping a high alert at various check-points to look for any election related violation.

Amritsar: The ruling SAD on Tuesday received a boost in the border belt of Tarn Taran district when several Congress leaders of the area, including Capt Bikramjit Singh Pahuwind, former OSD to ex-Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, and PPCC organising secretary and Zila Parishad member Daljit Singh Gill joined the Akali Dal. Both the leaders and their supporters were welcomed into the SAD by former Minister and Youth Akali Dal chief Bikram Singh Majithia at two separate functions organised at Amarkot and Pahuwind near Bhikhiwind in Tarn Taran. — TNS

Murder accused in fray

Muktsar: An accused in a murder case who is lodged in Burail Model Jail, Chandigarh, is in fray from this constituency. Balwinder Singh, alias Minkal Bajaj, is an accused in the murder of Triptdeep Singh Sekhon “Tippa”, president, Youth Akali Dal, Muktsar. Surjeet Singh, Minkal’s father, said his son was contesting for the overall development of the area. “Minkal will definitely bag votes, if he gets bail. We, his family, are campaigning for him,” said Surjeet. Minkal has got ‘lamp’ as his election symbol. —
Archit Watts

Probe into multiple votes in Lambi

Lambi: Following a complaint of multiple votes made by some staff members, including a doctor of the Government Paramedical Nursing Institute, located at CM’s native Badal village in this constituency, the election authorities have started investigating the matter. Sandeep Rishi, Returning Officer, said they had received a complaint that some government employees had allegedly favoured the ruling party after making multiple votes of their supporters. “A team has been sent to the village which will submit its report within 24 hours,” he said. — Archit Watts

Jewellers may boycott poll

Amritsar: Perturbed over the “indifferent attitude” of all political parties towards jewellers, the Punjab Swarankar Sangh has asked the community to boycott the assembly elections. Addressing mediapersons, Sangh’s general secretary Satnam Singh Kanda said no political party had fielded any candidate belonging to the community. He claimed that 55 per cent of the voters in Amritsar North, 20 per cent in Amritsar East, 20 per cent in Amritsar Central and 15 per cent in the Amritsar West constituency were members of the community. He said the boycott by the community would affect the prospects of all parties. —
Manmeet Singh Gill

Rs 32 lakh seized in Phillaur

Phillaur: The Phillaur police has seized unaccounted money of Rs 32 lakh from a Maruti Swift car bearing registration no. PB-26E-0049 near Sutlej Bridge here on Tuesday evening. Rajinder Singh, SP (Operation), three persons, identified as Manoj Gupta and Tejinder Singh of Mandi Gobindgarh, and Vinod Kumar of Doraha, were coming from Ludhiana and going towards Jalandhar when their car was searched at a naka near the bridge. The SP said after the violators failed to give a satisfactory reply regarding the source, the money was seized and deposited with the Income-Tax Department. —
Ashok Kaura

YAD office-bearers back Tikka

Amritsar: SAD rebel from Amritsar South Gurpartap Singh Tikka received a shot in the arm on Tuesday when various office-bearers of the district Youth Akali Dal resigned from their posts and extended support to him. Tikka is contesting against Chief Parliamentary Secretary and sitting SAD MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria. He was expelled from the party’s primary membership for entering into the fray as an Independent candidate. Prominent among those who resigned from the Youth Akali Dal are secretary general Satinderpal Singh and senior vice-president Manmohan Singh. Tikka is likely to spell trouble for Bolaria who is already engaged in a toygh battle with Congress candidate Jasbir Singh Dimpa in the constituency. —
Perneet Singh

Chandigarh, January 17
The Congress central leadership has clearly indicated that Capt Amarinder Singh is the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post. Party spokesperson and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, who is in the state for electioneering, has said that the PPCC chief was the likely choice for the coveted post.

However, she said that the Congress had an established procedure, which would be followed with regard to choosing the Chief Minister. She said elected legislators picked their leader. The decision was then conveyed to the high command and the final nod came from the All- India Congress president. "Since Capt Amarinder Singh has led the Congress in these elections and he is acceptable to all, therefore he is the obvious choice for the post," Soni said.

The Minister told The Tribune that these elections were like any other elections as far as the Congress was concerned.

Regarding the response from the people of Punjab, she said the voters had already made up their mind.

She said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi would be visiting Punjab shortly.
The Congress central leadership has clearly indicated that Capt Amarinder Singh is the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post. Party spokesperson and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, who is in the state for electioneering, has said that the PPCC chief was the likely choice for the coveted post.

However, she said that the Congress had an established procedure, which would be followed with regard to choosing the Chief Minister. She said elected legislators picked their leader. The decision was then conveyed to the high command and the final nod came from the All- India Congress president. "Since Capt Amarinder Singh has led the Congress in these elections and he is acceptable to all, therefore he is the obvious choice for the post," Soni said.

The Minister told The Tribune that these elections were like any other elections as far as the Congress was concerned.

Regarding the response from the people of Punjab, she said the voters had already made up their mind.

She said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi would be visiting Punjab shortly.

Patiala, January 17
Raj Khurana, sitting BJP MLA from Rajpura, started his election campaign in the constituency today after paying obeisance at the Guru Teg Bahadur gurdwara at Tilkhani village, near Rajpura. Accompanied by party workers, he addressed public gatherings at Pall Heri, Faridpur, Shaamdu and Haryaon villages.

Banking on the development work carried out by the SAD-BJP government in the area, he asked voters to re-elect him so that he could continue to serve the constituency. Touching the feet of elders and patting the shoulders of youngsters, he said he had fulfilled all the promises he had made, including thermal power plant at Nalash village, and would continue to work for the overall development of the constituency.

Criticising the UPA Government for various scams, he said the Congress had practically done nothing for the people of Punjab.

Earlier known as Narot Mehra, this assembly segment which has now been rechristened as Bhoa, is a reserved seat and is one of the most backward areas of the state. Industrialists shy away from this area due to its proximity with the Pakistani border. Here, unemployment is rampant following which youngsters are taking to drugs in a big way and neither the present MLA Bishamber Dass of the BJP nor his predecessors have done anything concrete to eradicate the menace.

Residents, cutting across party lines are not happy with their elective representatives. “Bishamber Dass has done nothing to generate employment. The next MLA should concentrate on eradicating the drug menace among youth otherwise our future generation will be ruined,” a sarpanch claims.

Projects: MLA Bishamber Dass disclosed that after he was elected in 2007, I visited government schools located near the border. “I found that 37 schools were without teachers. I directed the Education Department to recruit teachers and finally, after one year these schools got teachers”. Another achievement of the MLA is the construction of bridges over the Ravi and the Ujh.

The entire area has just one government hospital located at Narot Jaimal Singh. Nishan Singh of Bamiyal village says, “Government hospitals are meant for poor people who cannot afford private treatment. The area is inhabited mostly by the poor and we need more government hospitals and dispensaries. We have just five dispensaries and need of the hour is to set up a 25-bed hospital at Taragarh”.

VOX
POPULI:A retired school principal claims that no MLA has worked dedicatedly for the development of the area. “The elected representatives should try to bring in a slew of tax concessions so that industrialists from Pathankot and Sujanpur invest in the area. Thousands of unemployed youth are on drugs. Chemists selling psychotropic substances, which are highly popular in the area, are making a quick buck while the authorities have turned a blind eye to the menace which is ruining our children”.

LOOKING
BACK: In the 2007 elections, Bishamber Dass of the BJP wrested the seat by defeating Rumal Chand of the Congress by 15,000 votes. In 2002, Rumal Chand defeated Bishamber Dass by 9,500 votes while in the 1997 elections, Ram Lal of the BJP won by defeating KS Bains of the Congress by 25,000 votes.

Faridkot is a highly political sensitive constituency. The old Faridkot district, consisting of Moga, Muktsar and Faridkot, has given the state three chief ministers, besides former President late Gian Zail Singh, too, belonged to this district.

Despite this, the people of the area have been struggling to get quality drinking water. With groundwater containing high fluoride contents and the water supplied by Sirhind Feeder Canal is known for heavy toxic metals, safe drinking water is the main demand of Faridkot voters. Sitting MLA Avtar Singh Brar is Congress candidate from Faridkot while the SAD has fielded liquor baron Deep Malhotra.

Projects: The former Education Minister,
Brar, has several development works to his credit like upgrading many schools and installing new power grids. “Since I am in the opposition now, the ruling alliance is completely ignoring
Faridkot,” alleges Brar. Though Malhotra said the SAD had installed many RO water treatment plants to solve the drinking water problem in the area, the voters have lost all hopes of a permanent solution to the problem.

Even as the Punjab and Haryana High Court has a number of times directed the state government to ban the flow of industrial effluents into the canals and rivers in Punjab, the elected representatives never take any action and the problem is very much there, said Naval Kishore, a voter.

VOX
POPULI: The locals say election after election, they have been hearing the same promises. The manifestos of the Congress and the SAD sound like a jingle to most of the voters, particularly those who have no affiliation with any political party, said Jagmail Singh, a voter.

In Faridkot, where contaminated water is spreading diseases like cancer, hepatitis and other bone related diseases, clean potable water is the main demand for about 1,71,000 voters of the Faridkot assembly constituency.

But politicians make only hollow promises with an aim to making the people fool and exploiting their sentiments, says Gurdial Singh, a resident of Jhotiwala village.

LOOKING
BACK: Out of the 1,70,111 registered votes in the 2007 assembly elections in
Faridkot, Avtar Brar got 65,152 votes defeating his close rival Kushaldeep Dhillon with a thin margin of just 2,933 votes. Dhillon was elected MLA in 2002 elections on SAD ticket, but that time it was the Congress which ruled the state and in 2007, he lost to
Brar. So in the past 10 years, Faridkot has no political say in the state government in absence of an elected leader of the ruling party.

Qadian MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal is an erudite politician, a former film actor and a last but not the least, a rebel. He commands a massive influence in the area, a reason why the ruling SAD could not afford to annoy him. After the delimitation exercise, a massive chunk of villages falling under Qadian assembly segment have now been shifted to Batala and it is from this seat that Lodhinangal has been fielded as the SAD candidate while Education Minister SS Sekhwan has got Qadian where he will have to fight against Charanjit Kaur Bajwa of the Congress.

In 2007, Lodhinangal beat Tripit Rajinder Bajwa of the Congress by 1,850 votes and in the 2002 elections it was the same Tripit whom Lodhinangal, then denied the party ticket, supported against SAD candidate Natha Singh Dalam. From 2003 to 2005, he remained the chairman of Batala Improvement Trust and it at this time that he managed to build up his influence among both the rural and urban voters.

Projects: Speaking about his achievements, the MLA claims that he had managed to get constructed several roads, which now interlink a majority of villages falling in Qadian segment. These include the Kala Afghana-Majithia link road.

He also speaks of getting inaugurated a 66-KV sub-station at Kot
Majlis, opening of the state-of-the-art sports stadium at Aliwal and up-gradation of hospitals at Aliwal and Rangal Nangal villages. “I also brought in Rs 2 crore to ensure that 10 primary schools are upgraded to middle level and as many (middle schools) to high schools. The 30-km stretch from Batala to Fatehgarh Churian has also been widened, following which traffic snarls have been reduced,” he claims. The ITI has also been upgraded at a cost of Rs 1.1
crore, he claims. Lodhinangal is happy that post-delimitation he would not have to canvass in
Qadian, admitting “the two Bajwas — Gurdaspur MP Partap Bajwa and former Minister Tripit Rajinder Bajwa — command considerable influence in the town”. During the 2007 elections, he got very less votes from Qadian town, though votes from villages ensured his win.

VOX
POPULI: The tall and sturdy Lodhinangal, who has acted in a couple of Punjab films produced against drugs and terrorism, laments that his only failure was that he could not get
sub-tehsil status for the town. “Had we got a sub-tehsil, we would have got all our revenue related work done at Qadian itself. Now, we have to go to
Batala. All MLAs in the past had assured of getting the status but to no avail.
Lodhinangal, too, failed here,” says a village sarpanch.

Chandigarh, January 17
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the candidature of folk singer Mohammad Sadiq of the Congress from Bhadaur (reserved). Sadiq is pitted against former bureaucrat Darbara Singh Guru of the Shiromani Akali Dal from the constituency.

His candidature was challenged by one Badal Singh of Barnala, who contended in his petition, placed before Justice SK Mittal and Justice TPS Mann, that Sadiq could not contest from the reserved constituency as Muslims could not be issued caste certificates.

Janjua, who is facing corruption charges, had approached the district court for registration of an FIR against Shukhbir, Saini and others under charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy, etc. He had alleged in the petition that Sukhbir had threatened him to pay Rs 1 crore or else he would be embroiled in some vigilance case.

In his petition filed under section 156 (3) of the CrPc, 1973, he had sought directions to the SHO, Sector 17 police station, Chandigarh, to carry out investigation after registering the FIR.

He had alleged that Sukhbir, Saini and other persons entered into a criminal conspiracy to lodge a false case of corruption against him. —
TNS

Patiala, January 17
A four-member team of the Health and Family Welfare Department today raided a chemist shop here and seized 18 different types of banned drugs worth Rs 70,000.

Drug Inspector Gurpreet Singh Sodhi said the department had received information that Jatindra Enterprises at Sheranwala Gate was selling banned drugs openly, which might be used during Assembly elections. "I along with Drug Inspector Amit Lakhpal, Munish Khanna and Ranjit Singh raided the shop and confiscated 18 types of banned drugs made from various salts, including Codeine and Alprazolam, which are dangerous for human being," he said.

He said that the medicines would be presented in a court and after that suitable action would be taken in this regard.

Civil Surgeon Dr Varinder Singh Mohi said the department would not spare anyone indulging in malpractices. We will soon conduct more raids to nab defaulters, he added.

Meanwhile, District Health Officer Dr Bhupinder Singh and Food Safety officer Rakhi Vinayak conducted a raid at Goyal Depot situated at Sanouri Adda, Patiala, and destroyed 10 bottles of sub-standard oil after the quality tests. They also took samples of refined and mustard oil from Balaji Traders and sent them to Chandigarh for testing.